Category Archive for: Newsletters

What does it mean to volunteer? How can we do it in more impactful, meaningful ways? This weekend, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) Manager Liya Rechtman spoke on a panel at Temple Rodef Shalom, in Falls Church, Virginia as part of a series titled “Social Justice and American Jews.” The panel…

By Joel Schwartz While we were on the Frank Family Leadership Mission in both Poland and Israel, we may have been lacking sleep, but we were never lacking a different perspective. After touring the museum at Auschwitz, we had the quietest lunch that eleven people can possibly have – until one of us asked our…

With the emergence of an expansionist ISIS, an aggressive Iran, and the continuation of a ruinous Syrian civil war, Middle East states are in crisis. What challenges and opportunities lay ahead for American and Israeli foreign policy makers as well as the American Jewish community? Join us at JCPA2016 and hear from our special panel of experts:…

By Liya Rechtman Originally published in the Washington Jewish Week February marks Black History Month, an opportunity to learn about and share African-American history. Further, Black History Month is a moment to consider where we, as a Jewish and an American community, can continue pursuing racial justice in the coming year. In the first week…

This week, JCPA staff gathered in New York for a JCPA “first”: a two-day retreat focused on teambuilding and organizational strategy. In addition to building a marshmallow-and-pasta tower to develop teamwork, and learning about Israel through a viewing of the sitcom “Arab Labor,” the group began important conversations about our team values and our roles…

Last week, more than 150 advocates from around the country came to Washington for the 6th annual Jewish Disability Advocacy Day (JDAD). The event was sponsored by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism (RAC). Staff and lay leaders from the JCPA were joined by community relations…

Tell President Obama and Members of Congress to protect the Arctic! The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is unprecedented in its wildness, ecological integrity, and beauty. This sacred landscape is also the home of the Gwich’in, an Alaska native people who depend on the Porcupine caribou herd for their daily subsistence. The possibility of oil exploration…

By Harris Konter Virtually every briefing with every speaker started the same way: “It’s complicated,” the speaker would begin before delving into the specific topic. And, by and large, they were correct. Even a topic that seems simple, like being able to choose the Rabbi who presides over your wedding, is layered and complex. “We…

Discuss and debate the big ideas – political, social, and organizational – that will define our world and our work. Build skills from governance to strategic planning, making OUR communities more effective. Join with leaders around the country as we set strategic and policy priorities, working together to build our network of JCRCs and National…

Last week, Jared Feldman, JCPA Vice President and Washington Director, joined Rochester’s Community Relations leaders and elected officials for their annual Legislative Lunch. Jared spoke about the Jewish community’s commitment to refugees and the federal, state, and local advocacy opportunities for the Rochester community.

Our Mission

The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) is the hub of 16 national Jewish agencies and more than 125 local Jewish Community Relations Councils. Backed by an unparalleled capacity to mobilize grassroots Jewish activism, we educate and mobilize our network.